Avatar The Last Airbender Book II Earth
by AvAtArRoXmYsOx
Summary: On the way to finding a teacher...Trouble shows up and the gang is forced to face a whole new challenge involves a lot of situations. Never the same plot for long. Gets better as you go. 13th improved one up! Zutara
1. Chapter 1 Shalon Island

Avatar; Book II-Fire 

Fiction Rated: T - English – Action/Adventure/general/Romance – a Zukoxkatara fic

Disclaimer – I don't own any cast members from Avatar. I only own the plot, and Karra.

Summary – Aang mastered water bending and must master fire bending. He must search for a master and might have an idea of where to look. Zukara fic- This is my first fic. **_This is the new and improved 1st chapter_**. Hope you like it!

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Chapter 1 – Shalon Island

"So hungry!"

"I know Sokka. . . Everyone is." Katara was extremely fed up with her brother. A week traveling can only do so much to a sibling's relationship."Well _Sokka_, if you hadn't eaten all the food then maybe we wouldn't be."

"Don't worry Katara. Shalon island is not to far from here. If we keep flying at this rate, we could get there by sundown." Aang smiled reassuringly.

Katara sighed. It had been a week since their departure from her home's sister tribe. She reached to her new necklace given to her by Master Paku. It was filled with Water from the Spirit Oasis. It sparkled bright colors in the sunlight as she marveled at its beauty. She then reached for her knapsack. "We still have 8 copper coins from the money that the Northern water tribe left us. We could probably stock up on food to last Sokka about a week." Katara said with a chuckle.

"Good one Katara!" laughed Aang. "They have a great market. One of my old friends used to live there. His name was Tai.". " Aang remembered his friend fondly.

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_**Flashback**_

_On a dock in the village, Aang looked into the water. "Hey Tai, come over here!!"_

"_What's the matter Aang?" Tai shouted from a stand not far away. _

"_I see something in the water. I think it's a koi fish. C'mon get over here!"_

_Tai walked over with a confused look on his young, 11 year old face. He looked into the water and saw nothing. "What? I don't see a Koi fish."_

"_GOTCHA!" Aang said as he pushed his friend into the water. The large splash nearly knocked Aang over himself. Aang caught his balance just before Tai pulled Aang in. Aang and Tai laughed and splashed in the warm and happy sun trying to get each other as wet as possible._

"Aang?" Aang came back to reality and saw Sokka over his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yea. . . I was just daydreaming."

* * *

Later that day, Aang turned Appa around and saw the island come into view. "There it is . . . the great Shalon Island, home of the biggest Platypus Rabbit Squirels ever and it has the biggest marketplace in all of eastern Earth Nation!"

Appa landed in the water and floated the rest of the way to the island. Katara was amazed. The island was huge compared to Kyoshi. It was surrounded by ports and small shops engulfed the area. As the island came further into view, the landscape became more visible. Forests covered the top of the island and a river ran through the center of it.

They went into one of the ports and stopped right next to the largest ship in the area. A woman walked down a rail making her way to meet the newcomers.

"Hello" she said to Aang "Welcome to the Shalon Island! My name is Karra. I am honored to have you in my presence avatar."

"How did you know that he was the avatar?" Sokka asked a little warily.

"I have recorded your travels from when you started at the South Pole. You have very great traveling instincts," Karra had said to Sokka. Sokka stood proud while Aang and Katara giggled behind his back. The old woman smiled and turned to face Aang, "You have made many friends avatar and I wish you luck on your journey. You may stay only a week long, that's seven days, for the fire nation tries desperately to capture you. You are the world's only hope avatar and you must stay safe. The world needs you now more then ever. I hope you will join our island feast as we celebrate your return." Sokka happily accepted the invite and followed the woman with Katara and Aang not far behind.

* * *

Back at Zuko's ship

_Zuko looked out at the water with a scorn on his face. While he rested at the northern water village, he wasted very precious time. Now he was two days behind the avatar and was losing hope. But, he knew where the avatar was headed and had just told the helmsman to set a course. He could feel that something great would happen . . . and it would happen soon. He hoped with all his might that that great thing would be to capture the avatar. _

* * *

Sokka and Aang peacefully slept in their soft beds, but somehow, Katara could not. She knew something exciting was going to happen yet she wasn't sure what it was. She thought of every possible thing that could happen yet everything that she thought seemed wrong. _Maybe I will meet the man that I will marry! Anything is possible. The fortune teller had said that she would find her powerful bender husband along her travels. _She never really thought of love since her encounter with Jet. The more she thought about it the more she realized how much she wanted love in her life. She got out of bed, took out her braid, and smoothed out her dress. She decided to take a walk.

The sky was a brilliant color blue and it had made her feel so peaceful. She walked towards a still river and looked at her reflection. Her eyes glistened in the moonlight her dark caramel colored skin glowed. She looked up at the moon and thought of her friend Yue. She bowed low to the moon and then sat down on a rock. She combed her hair with her hands. The constant movement of her hair felt good and relaxed her while the wind blew. The island feast was delicious and her stomach was full to the brim. She couldn't believe that Sokka didn't stuff his face and then attempt to show off his "guns" to some girls like usual. Since Yue had sacrificed herself, he 'hardly' flirted with anyone. She was worried about him.

She water bended gracefully and tried to soothe her mind. Just as she got comfortable and had started to become sleepy, she heard a rustling in the trees. "Sokka? Aang? Is that you?" she questioned. _Who was that? What was that? _Katara got up abruptly and bended some water so she would be ready to attack if needed. She didn't know why she felt that she had to be so cautious, but it was always good to be on the safe side.

Suddenly, a hand covered her mouth and another grabbed her waist. The water that Katara held dropped onto the floor as she struggled to get away. A familiar voice had spoken in a whisper that startled the water bender.

"Remember me?"

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I changed it slightly. Instead of going to the Eastern Water nation (since I found out there is no such thing) I said they were going to the Shalon Island. (don't ask where that came from) I know this chapter still is pretty bad. I swear it gets better. I'm about to redo my other first chapters so please stick with me! - 


	2. Chapter 2 Surprises

Fiction Rated: T - English –general/Romance – a Zutara fic

Disclaimer – I don't own any cast members from Avatar. I only own the plot.

I don't know what writer's block is really but if it means I can't log in most of the time, I can't update my profile, and I can't review stories then I have it. No further delay! Here's the new and improved second chapter! Also...

This is a funny yo mama joke I heard on tv;

Yo Mama is so ugly that MTV just HAD to come up with a new tv show... PIMP MY FACE!!! Watch Yo Mama!

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**Chapter 2 – Encounters**

_ZUKO!_

Katara struggled as Zuko lifted Katara onto his shoulder and closer to his ship. He tied her to a tree._ This is just like with the pirates! Can't he just leave me alone?_

"What do you want from me?" Katara said as she gritted her teeth. She thrashed her hands about trying miserably to break loose.

Zuko smirked. "Shut up you water wench! I'll be asking the questions! Now, you peasant tell me where your campsite is."

"Why do you want to know?"

"BECAUSE!" He took a deep breath and tried to control his anger. "You know why. I don't know how many times I have told you this. Just answer the question."

"You and your stinking honor! Can't you just leave us alone? You aren't going to find your honor by capturing Aang. You can't lose honor. This is an endless search. You can't look for something you already have." She smiled triumphantly and cocked her head to show his defeat.

"Just shut up. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Excuse me! You shut up! I did not come all this way to get kidnapped by you of all people."

"You and your freakin' mouth! Don't you ever just shut up? Just tell me where the avatar is so I can return home!"

"I will never tell you! You're wasting your breath."

"Tell me now and I won't hurt you or this village. Answer me! Where is he hiding?" Zuko tried to control his temper.

_So this was the "great" thing that was supposed to happen!_ Katara thought "I won't tell you."

_That's it! I can't take this any longer! She will tell me or else. _Zuko took Katara by the wrist and slowly his hand heated up. Katara winced but didn't struggle. Zuko's hand started to glow and Katara screamed. Zuko held his ground but let go of her hand. Katara stood her ground and glared at him, her crystal blue eyes piercing his mind. A pang of guilt hit his stomach but quickly was replaced with determination once more.

"You're a monster." It was barely over a whisper.

_Yeash. If only looks could kill_. "Now, where is he hiding?" Katara kept silent as she looked into his eyes with great confidence. She would never betray her loyalty to the world. "Keeping quiet huh? We'll see about that." _Well, if she won't bring me too the avatar, then the avatar will come get her!_

Zuko untied Katara and Katara quickly sprinted toward the nearest possible exit. She bent some water from a puddle and did a perfect water whip right at Zuko's face. He stepped back but regained his balance and started the chase again. They ran blindly constantly being grabbed by the sharp tree braches. Zuko picked up speed and slowly and slowly became only inches behind her. He tackled her to the ground keeping her in his grasp.

Zuko grabbed Katara's hands and pulled her in front of him. "You won't get away from me this time." Zuko said as he grabbed her waist and arms, making her unable to water bend. He brought her to his ship and into a dark hallway. Katara screamed as she was put into a prison cell.

"YOU CAN"T DO THIS TO ME!!!" Katara screamed at him.

He walked down a dark and gloomy hallway into a prison cell. "Think about it. It's your life and the village or telling me where the avatar is." And with that, Zuko walked away with a smirk on his face and hope in his heart.

* * *

"_What do you want from me?"_

"_Tell me where the avatar is!"_

"_NEVER! Leave me and my friends alone!"_

"_I'm sorry I can't do that. I need to restore something very important. My honor . . . Maybe in return I can restore something you lost."_

"_My necklace! Where did you get that?"_

"_I didn't steal it if THAT'S what you're wondering."_

_Suddenly, a sad girl with deep blue eyes cried in the dim light. A dark and dirty cellar surrounded the girl. Blue tattered clothes and the saddened face finally looked up . . ._

"Katara!" Back at camp, Sokka woke screaming. He had a horrible dream. He looked over to where Katara was supposed to be and saw an empty bed. "Aang! Katara is missing. Where did she go?" Sokka shook Aang violently to get him to wake up.

"What's the matter Sokka? The sun isn't even up yet! Wake me when its time to go. . ." He turned over and covered his head with his pillow." Sokka continued to probe the young boy. "Aren't you not a morning person? Go back to bed like you were made to do." Aang said sleepily. Aang did mornings, just not mornings that occurred before sun rise.

"Katara is missing, Aang! We got to go look for her!"

Aang awoke from his dream and jumped up. "What? Where did she go?"

"I don't know. But, she is missing and we have to go find her. I know it might not be that serious but I had the weirdest dream. It tells me that something is up. I think we better check it out."

"What was your dream about Sokka?"

"Katara was in trouble with Zuko. Then I saw a some beaten up girl in a prison chamber. She looked up, and I saw she was Katara!"

"Wow! That dream seems a little more realistic than the one where food ate people and Momo could talk!" Aang laughed at his own joke but quickly became serious. "Why don't we split up? I look at the marketplace and you look by the beach. Okay?"

"Fine. Just be careful and meet me here if you see something suspicious. Once you're done looking, meet me at the beach. If you don't come then I'll know to meet you at the house. If I see something suspicious, I'll wait by the beach until you come here." Aang started walking out the door. "And Aang . . ." The air bender turned around. "Don't use up our money." Aang laughed and said okay. He quickly left for the markets. Sokka grabbed his newly sharpened Boomerang and walked out the door. He watched Aang leave, laughing as Aang tripped over his own two feet. Then, he headed for the beach.

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I'll be updating frequently now. I already updated chapter one to those who haven't read it yet. I know this plot has been done over and over again so I am going to have a change of scenery in the later chapters. Please review! **:D  
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Please tell me if you like shorter chapters or longer chapters! Thank you all!


	3. Chapter 3 Conversations

Disclaimer - I don't own avatar… although I wish I did.

I'm also going to try and write a different story after this one. It'll be set in present time. I think it'll be cool.

The Yo Mama of the chapter;

Yo Mama is so stupid she thought lemonade was a nurse for lemons! (I made that one up! I am so proud! And if you don't like it then oh well)

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**Chapter 3 - Conversations **

A streak of light rose through a crack in the wall onto the water bender's eyes. The girl stirred and slowly got up. She was exhausted. Her memory came back as she looked around her, the memory of being kidnapped. A surge of pain caused Katara to clench her stomach. Not only was she tired, but she was also hungry. She got up onto her feet and leaned against the grimy wall.

She looked at her quarters and turned her nose up in disgust. The walls were filled with grime and there were no windows or doors. Bars covered the whole front part of the cell. A water small water basin was on the floor next to a small hard platform that served as a bed. The smell of coal and dirt filled her nose. Suddenly a guard came to her cell. He unlocked her cell and grabbed her arm. He pulled her up onto the deck and then to the second floor. Katara saw an old, smiling man waiting for her.

Katara was pushed into the room and was given a chair to sit in. A small table was in front of her with a set of China.

"Hello Katara. My name is Iroh. I understand that you are traveling with the Avatar helping to try and defeat my brother, the Fire Lord."

"Hello Iroh. I am traveling with the avatar but if you think you can just sit me in a decent looking room and give me some food and I will willingly tell you where he is, you are sadly mistaken."

The old man chuckled. "Don't worry! I am old and tired. I just want to have a good conversation with a wonderful young girl who likes tea. You do like tea right?" Katara eyed him warily. She knew he was Zuko's Uncle and he was a simple man, but still he was fire nation and assisted Zuko.

"I guess a cup of tea won't hurt. I'm guessing I'm not going to be getting food for a long time then. What are you going to do? Feed me today and then torture me and starve me to death until I give you information?" Prison stories were feared in her tribe and the torture from the fire nation was known worldwide.

"Heavens no! We are not going to torture you! Are you crazy?!"

"You're not like normal fire nation are you?" Iroh smiled and chuckled once more.

"Some may say that. I think quite… different than most people I guess." He grinned as he poured her a cup of tea and set it down in front of her. She eyed the cup but smiled at the old man and accepted his token of peace.

"Thank you very much," _How can he be related to that, that . . . Zuko? He is so different, kinder, wiser, and definitely more pleasant!_

"You are very welcome! You know, my nephew never appreciates this tea like I do! The only type of tea that he enjoys is green tea. He used to sit with me when he was younger and drink a gallon of tea a day! Now he'll just sit in his room and sulk. I'm so very sorry. I am talking too much! I would really like to get to know you."

"Well that is a funny thought…. Zuko appreciating something…" Her sly grin turned into one of question as she raised her eyebrow. _Why does he want to get to know me better? What does he want? _Iroh noticed her expression and laughed.

"Don't worry! This is not an interrogation. I just wanted to keep you company! It can be so dreary on this ship. Why, the only interesting and happy time is when we are at the market or are having music night! Relax! Let's have a nice relaxing conversation to pass some time. Okay? So, tell me about yourself."

"Yes. Umm … okay… what do you want to know about me?"

"Oh, I don't know. Where are you from? What are your parents like? Are you a bender?"

"Oh, I am from the southern water tribe at the south pole. My parents…" She sighed from the memory of her parents. _I miss them so much_. Iroh noticed this and realized the look of pain.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She looked up and saw concern in his eyes. She shrugged it off.

"It's okay. I don't mind. My mother was killed from the war. I can still hear her voice sometimes. It's like she's my conscience."

"I know what its like to lose someone you love. I lost my wife to a fever and my son died in the war."

"It's hard isn't it? Coping with the loss of a loved one… I remember watching her die. It was so hard. I remember screaming and crying as she sacrificed herself to save me and my brother. I feel so guilty knowing that if I had just listened to her and stayed in the shelter, she would still be here."

"You don't know that. Besides, she did not die in vain! If you had died then who would be helping the avatar? Weren't you the one who got him out of that thing he was trapped in?

"I guess so." She never thought about it that way.

"What about your father? Is he still in the Southern water tribe? He must be proud."

"I wouldn't know if he was proud or not. He left to go fight in the war a few years ago with the rest of the men in the village. I haven't seen him since."

"Well I'm sure you will be reunited soon. The war will end soon, either by the Avatar or by the comet." She didn't really want to think about which would end the war.

"I'm pretty sure my nephew would not like me talking to you much longer."

"Yeah like that's surprising." She rolled her eyes.

"You know, he isn't that bad. You should get to know him first. He has been going through a rough time in his life."

"Haven't we all? Look, I know he's your nephew and all and you know him better than anyone probably but I just tell it like it is from my point of view."

"Stick around a while and you'll see a side of him you never had before."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Haha! Good point. I guess not but I'll see what I can do to make your stay a little more comfortable." Katara Sipped the last of her tea, took a bite of a little pastry and nodded.

"I would be very grateful."

"Now I think you should be getting back to your cell."

"I guess so." She sighed and got up from her seat. The guards tied up the back of her hands and led her toward her cell. As she looked back at the old man, she smiled and mouthed a 'thank you'. He looked at her, smiled, got up and walked away.

* * *

_I don't see anything!_ Sokka looked around the beach for about an hour. Nothing was visible. Fog blurred his vision as he looked out into the ocean. Sokka paced back and forth in the sand.

_Maybe I'm just a little out of it. Maybe Aang had found her and was waiting at the house! We should've come up with a better plan. Aang might be waiting at another beach or might still be at the market. I guess I'll go back to the house and see if Aang is there. We made such a stupid plan. Separate and meet and all these different places, How stupid!_

Sokka ran, breathing heavily. A cramp started in his stomach but he didn't care. He just wanted to know where Katara went. If anyone was to protect her then it was him.

Sokka reached the doorway of his house. "Aang? You there?" His voice echoed. No one was home. Sokka tried to reassure himself and thought of a possible explanation. _He's probably still at the markets._ Sokka ran out the door and turned right. He strolled down the pathway and saw the market place. It was extremely crowded. He looked around and tried to jump up to get a better look.

He saw someone with the same clothes as Katara had and tapped her on the shoulder. "Katara?" To Sokka's surprise, instead of his sister he saw a beautiful face with pale skin and jet black hair. He admired her soft red lips and dark brown eyes. His mouth opened wide and took in her beauty.

A soft loving gaze met his and they silently watched each other intently. Just as quickly as she appeared, she looked away and ran off into the crowd of people. Sokka looked dumbstruck as he watched her leave, without even a chance to ask what her name was.

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Zuko and Katara will come up in the next few chapters. Hope you liked the first chapter! I'll update next week and _please tell me if you like long chapter or short chapters_! **_Please review this one!_**


	4. Chapter 4 Shut Up

Here is the NEW AND IMPROVED fourth chapter!

Disclaimer – I don't own any cast members from Avatar. I only own the plot (Although I got some ideas from other fans. I still had the characters do different things though).

Everyone says they like long chapters so here you go. THE NEW AND IMPROVED

Yo Mama of the Chapter;

Yo mama is so stupid she thought menopause was a button on the DVD )player (I love this one!

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**Chapter 4 – Shut up**

Katara sat on the floor thinking. She had thought of a plan that night but had doubted that it would work. Someone was sure to see her leave and run to grab her. Then she would be on even worse terms with Prince Zuko.

She could escape any time she wanted. She could just use the water in her water basin, freeze the cell door lock and crack it open. She just needed to figure out what to do afterwards. She hoped that her brother and Aang would be smart enough to know not to come looking otherwise they would get captured as well. She would find a way out even if it took weeks.

It was freezing. For being a fire nation ship, the temperature was surprisingly cold. She looked outside her cell and saw an armored guard not to far away. She called to him and he walked on over. "What do you want?" he seemed tired and depressed.

"It's a bit drafty in here. Do you mind if I could have a blanket or something?" Katara looked him straight in the eye and tried to act innocent. His expression softened a bit as he reached to grab a small piece of cloth. "Thank you…" She said in a whisper. _Not what I was looking for but whatever…_ she thought.

* * *

Sokka ran back to the house after his encounter with the mysterious girl. He hadn't felt this way since his encounter with Yue. He certainly loved this feeling but missed his time with the water princess. _What am I thinking? I need to concentrate on finding Katara first! _Sokka slowed down as he approached the house and he opened the door. To his surprise, curled up on the couch with a bundle of food was Aang.

"Where the hell were you?! I looked all over the place! You were supposed to meet me at the beach when you were done!"

"Oops! I guess I forgot! Sorry Sokka. But I have food!" Sokka, upon reflex, sat down immediately and grabbed a piece of bread. He shoved it into his mouth and swallowed a big chunk.

"That doesn't give you permission to forget about the whole thing!"

"I guess it's a bad time to ask if you've seen Katara…" Aang made a crooked smile as Sokka shook him fiercely.

"Oh my GOD!" Sokka took a deep breath. "Just come with me and we'll look back in the village. Maybe you missed her or something." Aang agreed as he took Momo who was grabbing a few fruit to eat on the way.

* * *

Back at Zuko's ship, Katara was thinking so hard she got brain cramps. She tried coming up with a plan but it might not work. _The blanket thing didn't work to well either but at least I got the guard's sympathy. Maybe I could try seeing Iroh. He could let her water bend again and then she could jump off the ship! Brilliant! Hopefully it will work…_

"Excuse me? Guard?" The guard sighed.

"What?"

"Can I please speak to Iroh?"

"I've been given strict orders to keep you in your cell."

"Can't you just get Zuko here so I could ask him?"

"I do not think he would let you anyway. He is training on deck; he does not like to be disturbed."

"Do you really think I care? Please? I really need to talk to Iroh."

"I'm sorry but I can't" She could see that the guard was just about to break. He looked young, probably fifteen, seventeen at the most. He had jet black hair like most people in the fire nation. It was shaggy and just covered his eyes. He wore a normal guard uniform, but without a helmet. His eyes said it all. Orphaned, joined the war at a young age, troubled, and good at heart. He was the perfect one for Katara to fraternize with.

"Can't you just get Zuko for me? I really need to see him." The young man sighed and looked at her. She was so miserable. Her hair was now tangled and wavy, dress torn at the hems and eyes pleading. She tried to look as sad as possible. He just couldn't say no.

"Don't try anything girl or you'll be locked up for the rest of your life…" He muttered. She muttered a thank you as he ran down the corridor to the exit. She heard silence as she awaited the arrogant prince to arrive.

About five minutes later she heard the door slam open and watched as Zuko stomped in, the guard close behind.

"What do you want?" He shouted. She looked at him and then at the guard who looked down, his black hair covering his eyes.

"I wanted to talk to Iroh." She stood up and stood by the bars.

"Why? You are not going to talk to him or anyone else on this ship unless it is an interrogation."

"C'mon you don't expect me to rot in this cell forever do you? At least with Iroh I could talk to him."

"Too bad! You will not, I repeat WILL NOT talk to him unless I say so." In the corner of her eye, she could see the young guard clearly uncomfortable.

"Fine! Once I escape you will be sorry!"

"Yeah right! You escape? Don't make me laugh."

"You're right that would truly be a creepy sight." He grew stiff. "And don't forget who whooped your butt back at the North Pole!"

"I was the one who stole the Avatar from you, you little peasant!"

"And I was the one who took him back! And stop calling me a peasant! Technically since my father was basically the chief at the South Pole, it would make me the princess."

"Oh yeah! You are the princess of that pathetic little excuse of a village."

"You call that pathetic? What about your arrogant, over-bearing, power-obsessed, murderous, evil people who you rule over? If it wasn't for your _pathetic_ little nation then my tribe would still be alive! My MOTHER would still be alive! Just leave me alone and finish your freaking training!" She stared him down.

"You're the one who interrupted me! You've already ruined my concentration with your overbearing mouth that won't shut up!" The tension in that room could be cut with a knife. The guard rubbed his arm and leaned against the wall and watched the 'deep conversation'.

"If it's about Aang, then I am not going to say anything!" Katara shot at him.

"Fine by me. Whoever said it was about the Avatar?"

"I don't know. Maybe because you hunt us down all of the time, or maybe because you constantly try to capture us, or maybe because you-"

"I get the picture! I'm not going to ask. Happy?"

"Very" Katara folded her arms and said "Very well… Ask away."

"Fine. First off, who is that pathetic excuse of a brother that travels with you?"

"For your information, he's not pathetic, okay maybe sometimes, but he has a name and his name is Sokka!"

Zuko laughed. Her anger amused him. "Anyway, I believe you are what fifteen?"

"I'm fourteen you dimwit."

"Excuse me! I'm just trying to gather up my information! Just answer them and no wise ass comments okay?"

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"How about your father?"

"He's caught up in this god forsaken war. He-"

"I'm guessing he has left to fight no doubt. Otherwise I'm sure he would be with you. My fath-"

"I know, I know. Your father is the cruel man who kept up this stupid war. You know, you're very rude! I keep talking and all you do is cut off my sentences and you know what! I'm sick of it. You should shove it up your-"

"Watch it! I am the interrogator so I have a right to-"

"There you go again! It's so annoying! Can't you let me finish my senten-" He shot a small fireball at the cell bars causing her to jump and fall onto her butt. The guard gasped but held his tongue.

"What the hell was that for?!" Zuko smirked at the now flustered Katara. Katara sat up with her hair all messed up. She blew a strip of hair out of her face and looked up at the amused Zuko. "You didn't have to do that you know! I would have gotten quiet myself if you just told me. You know, you don't always have to use violence to keep someone quiet"

"Shut up."

"You can just tell them or something."

"Shut up."

"You can always just say or do something not as drastic. I mean–"Zuko slammed open the cell door, took her by the wrists, pinned her up against the wall and gritted his teeth.

"Shut up." He stated between clenched teeth. Katara was too shocked to speak. Their bodies were now inches apart, both of them now panting.

"You talk way too much!"

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Like it? I kinda was a little drastic at the end. I hope you liked it. **I'll try to update soon. _REVIEW!_**


	5. Chapter 5 Oh My God

Fiction Rated: T - English –general/Romance – a Zutara fic

Sorry for the wait! I rewrote this so many times. I need more ideas…

Disclaimer – I don't own any cast members from Avatar. I only own the plot (Although I got some ideas from other fans. I still had the characters do different things though).

Just to let everyone know… I'd like to thank powderedsugar for reviewing as many times as she did and I'd also like to thank ML7 because she encouraged me to keep writing when I ran out of ideas. I thank everyone who reviewed and the reason I redid all my chapters is because I had a lot of better ideas and it is better to do it now then if I had already finished the story.

HERE'S THE NEW AND IMPROVED FIFTH CHAPTER

Yo Mama of the chapter;

If yo mama was in a beauty competition, she'd get graded an F for ED UP! (I know that that one is really bad and mean so I'm sorry if you don't like it)

**This is a border… the thing isn't working so… this is a border… **

**Chapter 5 Oh My God**

They panted. Neither one moved and neither one knew what to do. Finally after a moment of standing breathless in front of one another, they finally came to their senses.

"Get off of me." Katara said through her teeth as she stared him down.

"Make me" Katara leaned in… their bodies getting closer and closer, the speechless soldier with his stick, jaw dropping lower and lower. As Katara closed in on him and their bodies were barely touching… she bent her head back and rammed him in the head.

Zuko was shocked but still held tight onto her wrists. She noticed this and took this as her chance to split. She kneed him hard in his valuables and he let go of her hands to grab his now throbbing crotch.

She smirked as she summoned whatever water was in her water basin and hit him with it. She then summoned it again and shot icicles at his head. He quickly realized this and melted the icicles away with a blast of fire.

"Haven't you ever heard of decency?" He was furious now… the pain still in his lower abdomen.

"I have... but I doubt I'll ever use it on a spoiled prince like you!" She quickly took as much water was left and whipped him in the face. He grabbed his eye and stepped back. He then blasted some fire and shot her in the stomach. A small cell was no place for a fight and the damage was severe, with little room to weaken the strike.

Katara clutched her stomach and then ducked as another blow was aimed at her head. Now the soldier was even more shocked. What could possibly happen now?

She kicked his feet throwing him off balance. He banged his head back onto the wall but slowly regained his balance. His right hand started to glow and he shot a fist at her side. She clutched her stomach once more; her right hip began to change to a dark red. She slapped him in the head and tried to kick him. He grabbed her foot and spun her around onto her cot. She got up quickly and whipped him with water hard on the leg.

Thank goodness he was shirtless or this would be of no help to her. His armor would have just made it harder to strike him down.

He fell down onto the floor once more and she tried to make a break for it. She reached the cell door and tried to sprint to the exit. He grabbed her foot and she fell flat on her face. She smacked him in the arm and left nail marks in his skin. He was furious now. He dragged her back into her cell and blasted her with as much fire as he had left in him. She covered her face with her arms but it was too much for her. She slammed into the wall and slowly drifted into unconsciousness.

As Zuko finally realized what he had done, he got up, dusted himself off and stared at her. There was so much damaged to be repaired. Her side was bleeding freely now and her whole stomach was back and blue, noticeable through her half torn and burnt shirt/dress. Her head was now black and blue and her arms and legs were severely burned. He looked at the awed soldier who apparently couldn't believe what had just happened.

"Get her into the infirmary and tell the doctor to fix her up." The soldier still stood there, unable to move.

"Did you hear me? I said get her into the infirmary!" He stomped out of the cell and to his room, leaving a young soldier to care for the girl and guilt to eat away at his heart.

**This is a border… the thing isn't working so… this is a border… **

Sokka and Aang looked around and only saw mobs of people. They tried to squeeze past as they headed into the nearest shelter. The entire shop was filled with shelves and cabinets filled with merchandise. The ceiling was about two feet above their head and the shop was at least the size of King Bumi's newly refurnished room that was once bad.

It was the largest indoor shop in the village and someone was bound to see Katara. They went to the women's apparel section and asked many passing shoppers if there was a water bender in there anywhere. They got mixed answers. Water benders with black hair, white hair, extremely tall, short, fat, big nose, small mouth, old, and young… basically everything you could think of except Katara. Sokka described Katara as detailed as he could and finally got an answer. One woman whose name was Kuju had said that she saw a young teenager wearing blue pass by the shop not to long ago. The girl had blue clothes and blue eyes. But, she didn't see her hair for her hood covered it.

_This could be our chance! Maybe it was Katara! We were probably worried over nothing. Please be Katara! I must protect her I must…I must…_ "Sokka? Don't worry, we'll find her soon" Aang said as if reading his mind.

The two friends in distress walked out of the store with little hope left. They thought of the woman and the girl she described. They desperately hoped that Katara was her.

They struggled to get through the large crowd but made it in the end. The woman said the girl was heading toward the beach. It just so happened that that was where they were going to search next, so they headed in that direction.

They made it to the door and pushed their way through a sea of people. They sat down by the docks and looked out into the water. The wooden planks on the floor looked so old that it was a wonder how it could hold them up. The search was not going well. The information they got was not very useful, only the one description of the girl with the hood could even come close to being Katara. It was their last chance.

It was now the afternoon and surprisingly hot on the island. They walked around screaming her name. A young girl with a blue parka, hood over her head, walked down the road. They ran up to her and spun her around, causing her hood to flop down. Sokka gave her a huge hug, surprised she wasn't returning it. She did not here Aang greet her as he did.

"Katara where the heck have you be-"They stopped shaking her. She was not Katara. Underneath that parka she wore was a green piece of clothing. She was so familiar. Suddenly it came to him… it was the girl he saw when he was looking for Aang. He was speechless. Aang took control.

"We're really sorry! We thought you were someone else!" The girl nodded. Then she took off… running into the forest. The two friends didn't know what to make of it. Sokka finally gave up and fell to the floor.

"I don't know what to do, Aang… I just… I can't…"

"I know Sokka. She has been gone for hours, but maybe we just missed her or we keep looking in the wrong places.

"No! I promised I would take care of her and look now what I have done! First Yue, now Katara! I can't deal with myself!

"We could check the beach again if it would calm your nerves."

"No, I checked, there is no sign of her anywhere."

"Which beach did you check?"

"The east coast, why? It can't be on the west coast, she would never go there. Its sand is way to rocky and the water is murky and it-"

"How do you know Sokka? She could be anywhere. The words of Bumi say to look at ALL of the possibilities! We should go check." Aang said hopefully.

"Fine…"

**This is a border… the thing isn't working so… this is a border… **

Sorry for the wait! The quarter ended and I had tests up the wazoo! And writer's block… Those stinking border things aren't working also! **Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6 Recooperation

OH MY GOD!!!! So sorry for the wait!!!!!! EXTREMELY! It's been like a week and a half… So sorry!!

Disclaimer – I don't own avatar… Sadly

Joke of the chapter;

- Your so hot, Satin is jealous (that's not really a joke so here's another one)

- Yo mama's so obsessed with food, she has pictures of it in her wallet! ( sorry not really funny)

* * *

Chapter 4; Recooperating

Pain… coursing through her body. It was like she was drowning to death and burning at the same time. Her head was spinning. Her left hip was literally dying, burning in hell till she couldn't feel anything there anymore. She tossed and turned in her sleep. She was dreaming a most peculiar dream…

"_Leave me alone!" A dark male figure loomed around in the distance slowly moving closer, closer till she could feel his breath on her face. _

"_Get away from me!" She was on the floor, bruised and cut. His eyes were the only part of him visible. It was filled with hurt, guilt, anger, confusion, grief, and… lust? The only extremely noticeable asset of them was one tiny sparkle of light precisely in the center, surrounded by all other negative emotions._

_The darkness seemed to disappear. A fire, so hot, burning at her flesh and making her whole body fill with hate. She had to fight back. She couldn't anymore. Now, she was restrained, nothing restraint her though. She just felt she could do nothing but watched as her and the man slowly and in agony rotted away into nothingness._

_His eyes were still locked onto hers. Both trusting each other even though it was nearly impossible to do so. It felt wrong somehow. She was still filled with fear and hurt. It was frightening in a sense where she just wanted to look away and leave that horrible place. But his eyes… she just couldn't stay away. Those eyes slowly filled her entire vision and she felt as if she was choking. _

_Bones appeared and crackled in the fire. The voice of someone familiar suddenly spoke out… "Your future love will be a powerful bender… and a haunted soul that is a prisoner of his past…" _

_The eyes reappeared into the flames. He was there... in his eyes. He was meditating, or so it seemed so. His head lifted up and and his eyes were the brightest gold… lighting up his whole face. Hey started to grow and once again fill her vision. She screamed as it came closer._

"_Help me…" The man whispered. She believed him and slowly nodded once. She knew what she had to do. She lept into the fire in the eyes and became engulfed in flames…_

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She gained consciousness and screamed. She sat up quickly causing pain to shoot up her back. The dream was all to real. Her body was covered in cuts and bruises and every time she moved pain coursed through her body.

She looked around the room gasping all the while. It was a white room. She was laying on a cot. The fire insignia was painted onto the wall and was found on every item in the room. She couldn't remember anything. The only thing she could think of was the dream. It clouded her mind as she sought out to reach normalness once again. As her vision cleared she noticed three other people in the room. They all had there backs away from her, facing a small table on the opposite side of the room.

"Where am I! Who are you people?" The three other people in the room jumped and spun around at her sudden outburst. They nearly had a heart attack.

"Zuko, why are you here? Who are the other people? Where am I? Was I captured? What happene-" The three visitors moved closer to her. All of them were male, one Zuko, another apparently a doctor, and the last a young soldier. She stopped when Zuko began to speak.

"What? Don't you remember what happened?" She shook her head. Zuko reached up to her head which was severely burnt and tried to get her bandages.

"Get away from me! You're my enemy! What the hell happened to me? And what the hell happened to you?" He was also covered in cuts, a major one now located on his right cheek.

"You must calm down miss. Prince Zuko here will explain everything. Just rela-" The doctor moved closer to her to check up on her wounds.

"No! Don't touch me! Leave me alone!" Katara quickly swung her legs over the white bed and tried to stand up. She fell in a heap on the ground.

"Sir, can you put her back onto the table? I must give her the medicine." He picked the struggling teenager up and placed her back onto the bed/table.

"Don't Touch me you filth!" Katara yelled at him and wondered what was happening. The doctor put some vile tasting liquid into her mouth and closed it in order for her to swallow. She rejected it and began to gag. She sprawled her legs out and tried to shake him off of her.

"Look, you're injured. You must swallow or you will never heal. We'll explain later." They're voices began to fade as her vision blurred once again, her head hitting the pillow…

* * *

Sokka and Aang walked the forest. As they made their way to the beach, Sokka took out his boomerang and they scoured the land. Sokka went left and Aang went right. All they saw were large rocks, washed up sticks and jellyfish, and litter spread out along the ground.

"Aang! Get over here! I think I see something!" Aang ran over to Sokka panting. He grabbed his knees and bent over exhausted from the long run.

"What's there?" The fog covering the ocean made it hard to see anything. It slowly became more dense as the time passed.

"Aang, I want you to fly to that dark spot right there. It might be a ship but I'm not sure." Aang nodded and spread out his glider. He flew out and up over Sokka's head and faded into the distance.

"Please be there Katara…" The young warrior bit his lip in anticipation. Aang slowly reappeared.

"I couldn't see… It was too foggy and the air was too dense."

"We'll try again when this overcast clears up. It shouldn't be to long." Aang nodded and sat down. They lay on their backs waiting for the mood to pass, along with the overcast.

* * *

Katara slowly opened her eyes after a long period of sleep. She could hardly remember what happened. Slight images of what happened clouded her mind, but no full memories came back to her. She looked at the ceiling and felt numb on her side. She carefully tilted her head to look at her waist. She saw that a large portion of the bottom of her shirt had been burned away and singed at the edges.

A large white cloth wrapped around her waist and a slight blood stain made a streak in the center. Katara then looked at her hands and felt a sharp pain shoot up her arm, something that happened often lately. Bruises and cuts marked her palms and as she looked upwards onto her arms, she saw a gash on one side and a lot of scorch marks on the other. She once again searched her surroundings. It was clearly the afternoon. The room was the same as before, just with a new person there.

There was a man there, young and seemed to be inexperienced. He was sitting on a chair, fully dressed in his armor with a spear in his hand. It was the soldier from before. _He must be my guard_. She rolled her eyes and then closed them. She felt a dark shadow suddenly loom over her. He touched her head and adjusted the bandages. She stayed completely silent. The man sighed and walked away, hopefully to the other side of the room. She slightly opened her eyes to take a peek at her visitor.

His back was facing away from her and she could tell by her form it was the person she wanted to see the least. Her memories were still a little blurry and the events of the past experiences on his ship didn't come back to her. He spun around and looked indifferent. He carried a tray filled with medical supplies.

"Good, you're up. Then you can help change your bandages. It really is a hassle to have to move you myself." She eyes him warily. The bandages on her upper stomach made her feel akward that he had touched her, and she still didn't know what was going on.

"Don't touch me! I can heal myself! You still have to tell me what is happening!" He was truly becoming aggravating with her.

"Just shut up!" Katara flinched. Everything cleared up.

"Oh m god."

"What?!"

"I remember everything…"

* * *

The overcast was clearing up and the land was somewhat visible. Both of them nodded toward each other and Aang took off. Sokka looked into the distance as Aang's orange shirt grew smaller and smaller. Then, he saw the orange object become perpendicular to the rays of the sun and a sheet of bright light showed through the sky. Aang slowly flew back and landed on his feet.

"Did you see anything?" Aang nodded his head with a grin on his face.

"What did you see?" Aang leaned in closer to Sokka and whispered in his ear….little did they know, someone was watching in the distance…

Oh My GOD!!!!! OMFG!!!!! I can't believe it! I just saw the season 2 finale and I am DYING!!!! I can't believe what Zuko chose!!!!!!!!! It was so good in the beginning too!!! With Katara and Zuko (wink wink) bonding!!! And then Aang just HAD to interrupt! OMG I swear my mouth was still hanging open like 10 minutes after! OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! So sorry for the short chappie…. I'm just so in shock… OMG!


	7. Chapter 7 Tension

Okay… I am almost out of shock of the fact the stinky writers didn't put zutara in yet. But, it is okay… zutara will prevail! I mean, it IS the writer's story anyway right? I guess we should trust there decision. BUT THEY WERE SO CLOSE! And that dramatic outcome was really weird… and poor kyoshi warriors! I wonder where they are now.

Review please!

Quote of the chapter;

Is it good or bad if a vacuum really sucks?

Why do we sing "Take me out to the ball game" when we are already there?

AvAtArIsSoCoOl…sOiSlOsTaNdHeRoEs…

**Chapter 7 Tension**

Meanwhile Sokka and Aang were devising a plan. The ship was heading northwest, towards Hangul Island, another one of the series of islands in the Earth Nation, probably to stop for supplies. It was getting dark outside. Either that or it was the dark foliage of trees. Neither of them could tell.

Sokka used a short dead piece of wood, brushed some leaves out of his way and carved a sketch of the plan into the ground. He went it over in his head many times to memorize it. The boys' faces were very serious, concentrating on the diagram and the diagram only. They did not hear the rustling of the leaves or the footsteps of another person heading straight for them.

Hazel Eyes penetrated through the leaves staring intently from above. They studied the diagram keenly, memorizing each and every step and repeating them in their head. The cat-like eyes moved from one tree to the next. The figure had rustled the trees rather loudly and Sokka was up in a flash.

"Who's there?" Sokka looked up around in the trees, Boomerang in hand at any time ready to strike.

The figure once again moved to the next tree, still in the air carefully watching every move the young boy made. Sokka started to walk around looking at the trees, staring into the dark brush.

"I know someone's up there! Come out! Show yourself!"

"Sokka, maybe it was just an animal? Don't worry c'mon let's finish studying the plan." Aang reached up to Sokka and slowly pulled his friend into a sitting position. Sokka warily looked up into the trees glaring at whatever creature was up there.

"I don't think so. It didn't sound like an animal to me. I'll check." Sokka stood back up and went to a tree. He slammed his boomerang into the sappy bark of the tree and held his ear up to it.

"No Aang, it is a human up there" He whispered "Shhhh… Hey you! This isn't a joke. We know you're there"

The figure moved a little lower till its mouth was right behind the boy's ear. A smooth, hushed voice came out of no where, sounding very mysterious and talked almost in a whisper. "How do you know that?" Sokka quickly turned around and tried to find where the mysterious voice was coming from.

"Get out here you coward! Afraid?!"

"Why would I be? Some silly boy isn't going to scare me." The figure moved up and around the two boys to keep them guessing. It worked and Sokka spun around in circles.

"COME OUT! Let's talk! Why are you following us?" Aang screamed. He cuased a distraction while Sokka tried to unnoticeably cover their plan with the many leaves surrounding them.

"Look, come on out and we won't hurt you!"

"What makes you think you can hurt me?" The voice whispered. Sokka and Aang stood up weapons ready and looked up. The figure came up from behind them and walked slowly and quietly towards them.

AvAtArIsSoCoOl…sOiSlOsTaNdHeRoEs…

"You remember?" Zuko questioned. He cocked his head to one side.

"How could you?! Get away from me!" She started to back up.

"You're injured and in shock. The doctor will change your bandages."

"NO! How can I trust you?! I'll heal myself!"

"You are clearly incapable of healing yourself! Look at you! Do you know how many scars you got?"

"No, but I do know who gave them to me! And, I know how I got them! And how do you know what I'm capable of?" The soldier and the doctor slowly edged for the door. This conversation was getting a little too heated up for their taste…

"Oh please! Just let the man do your bandages!"

"No! I'm not going to let some male stranger go around touching me!"

"It's just bandages!"

"I don't need them! I told you, I can heal myself!"

"And how do you suppose you are going to do that?"

"I have healing abilities stupid! I just need some water and I can fix myself."

"Like I'm going to fall for that! Give you water so you can escape? I don't think so!"

"If you haven't noticed I am injured! Just get me water and I will heal myself and you can go back to ignoring me."

"Oh…" Silence filled the room.

"Fine." Zuko turned around and faced the soldier who was right under the door frame. "Get a small bucket of water. And Dr. Ozona, help me get these bandages off." Both men nodded and walked out of the room.

"What! I'll take off my own bandages!"

"You can't do that! You're too injured. Stop making such a big deal of this. We'll just take it off and then you can heal yourself. Fair?"

"No! I can do it myself!"

"Fine" Zuko shrugged it off and smirked. "Take them off." Katara slit her eyes and obviously was untrusting.

"Fine, I will!" She started on the bandage on her waist. As she moved her arms pain once again shot up. She had a strong urge to wince but bit her lip and took the pain. She did not want that stupid prince to be right and make her out to be a fool. The prince crossed his arms and stared at her expectantly.

"C'mon. You can do it." Zuko smirked and watched as she glared at him. She carefully found the edge of the bandage and started to peel it away. She did this slowly and quietly, tensing as she did. The pain was overbearing. She pulled the bandage to one side of her hip. The bandage was wrapped around her waist. In order to do so, she needed to move herself up and swing it around. She sighed. There was no use in making herself look like a fool. It was better to give up now.

"What's the matter? C'mon! Take off the bandages!" Zuko smirked even more.

She rolled her eyes. She muttered under her breath. "Can you do it for me?"

"What? Say that again?" He put his hand up to his ear.

"Can you help me?"

"That's all you needed to say." He chuckled and walked over to her side. He gently helped her into a sitting position and grabbed onto her bandage. He slowly unwrapped it. She rolled her eyes and looked away, trying to think about anything other than how warm his hands were… but she knew why they were… fire bender! DUH!

"By the way… I'm sor-…" He took a deep breath and tried to apologize again… He was new at this after all. "I'm sorry" He took one more deep breath and attempted to undo the bandage. Katara winced as he pulled too tight on one of the ends. Zuko finished taking off the bandage on her stomach and moved to the one on her arm.

"Well you should be. You are the one who started the fight to begin with." He stopped for a split second and then went back to work and looked down.

"You're the one who brought me down there in the first place."

"Well you were the one who was so arrogant. Maybe if you weren't then I wouldn't be this hurt."

"I'm arrogant?! Look who's talking!"

"Well, you did start the fight."

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did! You shot at me first!"

"Well you asked for it!"

"Well excuse me! I think you should just fu-" Just then the doctor and young soldier walked in with a pail filled with water. The teenagers grew quiet. Katara rolled her eyes and Zuko went back to unwrapping her bandages, only a few more to go. The young soldier and the doctor made their way to the bed/table and helped with taking off her bandages. Katara blushed as the young soldier unwrapped her bandages, he was good looking after all (though not as hot as Zuko D). Zuko felt his face grow hot and his heart skip a beat.

After about a half hour, all the bandages were removed and the pail of water was at her side. All three men stood in a line on the far side of there room and watched the young woman bend the water to her will and place it on her stomach. It glowed as her wounds seemed to disappear…

AvAtArIsSoCoOl…sOiSlOsTaNdHeRoEs…

OMG!!! I am SOOO SORRY for the wait!!!! I kind of hate this story though… I want to write another one that's less boring… And I've been having a hard time lately… Me and my friends got into a fight and I've been depressed. But it's a little better now and I am able to write! ) Review!!!!


	8. Chapter 8 Getting to know you

Fiction Rated: T - English –general/Romance – a Zutara fic and Sokkaxoc

Summary – Katara healed herself from the run-in with Zuko when she tried to talk to Iroh. Sokka and Aang come in contact with an unexpected and mysterious… enemy? Friend? Well you'll just have to find out!

XooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxO

Chapter 8 Getting to know you…

Some time had passed after she had healed herself. Zuko, the doctor, and the soldier had all left awhile after she healed to give her some non-burnt to a crisp clothes. She had been sleeping for the past twenty minutes. The tired old general walked through the dimly lit room and faced the young girl. A grin slowly spread over his face as the water bender awoke to the dim suppertime glow.

"Ah… Good afternoon! Sorry if I woke you. I brought you some dinner and my favorite Ginseng tea!" Katara fluttered her eyes open and slowly lifted her head. She was tired from everything. Today just wasn't her day.

"Ah No! Don't pester yourself! Lay back and rest! I mean it, you need it. Sorry once again, my nephew is a very rough boy. Don't mind him. There was one thing I wanted to ask you before, but you had gotten yourself in this predicament." Katara looked at the man questioningly.

"Well, I wanted to know why you got into a fight. Zuko would not tell me and naturally I am a curious man. Do you remember?"

Katara shook her head "Well I wanted to talk to you, so the guard got Zuko down to my cell so I could ask him, and he was in the middle of training and…"

"Aha! Say no more. I know how Zuko gets when he's training. He gets quite worked up in it."

"What's the point?"

"He wants to be competent enough to capture the avatar."

"Why does he need to capture the Aang anyway? He's taking away the last hope of the world!"

"Well, his reasons are different than you believe. Find out for yourself."

"Why what happened?"

"Well that's something you must find out for yourself."

"Oh." There was a long pause. "Well where are we headed anyway?"

"We are heading to Hangul Island. It is about 2 days from here. If a storm comes our way we might have to deal with another day to recuperate but I doubt that will happen. How are you feeling? You look a lot better than yesterday."

"I healed myself, that could be why."

"You're a healer! I admired healer's from when I was a child! I always wished I could but, well, since I'm a firebender I naturally can't." He chuckled.

"Yea. Usually I heal and then I'm fine. This time has got me drained. I guess since I never really did a full body healing on myself."

"Don't fret my dear! We will get to the island soon enough and we will get you some more medicine and rest." He got up and set down a plate of food. There was steamed fish and vegetables with, of course, ginseng tea. "Here is your food. I'll come back in a little while to get the tray when your finished, or I might just send a crew member or something. If you need anything just call me!" Iroh smiled at the young girl and silently walked out. Katar looked up at the ceiling and smiled. A new idea popped into her head. _In 2 days time, I will make my escape. Wait for me Aang and Sokka… I'm coming…_ Katara let her pain overtake her and she drifted off to another quick slumber…

XoXOOXOXOXOOX

The figure quietly came up behind them. Her eyes looked at them with such determination. She wore a jade green mask that covered her forehead, nose and the right side of her face. It made her hazel eyes glow with such intensity. She wore a light green, slightly baggy shirt that ended slightly passed her elbows. A black sash was tied around her waist. Her pants were the same color as her shirt and bagged down at her ankles. She wore dark green slippers with a red trim and looked like Chinese slippers. Her lips were a darker shade of red and it went well with her long black hair. Her hair was put up into a pony tail and was braided all the way down to her waist. She had a slender figure and was a little shorter than Sokka.

She silently stood close to Sokka's back and whispered "You think you're so tough huh? Bring it on!" She grabbed the cuff of his neck and pulled him back till he sat square on his butt. "You too Avatar. Don't you believe me? Don't you? Don't you?! You don't know what your doing do you."

"Who are you?" Sokka asked looking up at her, his hands trying to keep himself up.

"Your savior"

XooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxooxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxO

As she woke up from another long nap she looked around the room and realized she was not alone. Warm hands lifted her up off the bed and Katara kept her eyes closed. She had no sense of where she was being taken but she realized they must have taken many turns. Her nose was filled with the smell of freshly cooked food.

Katara was placed onto a chair and was positioned upright. She felt the cold hard chair beneath her and heard voices. She recognized both instantly and listened as hard as she could. The warm hand was still at her side keeping her sitting up.

"You wanted her, I brought her…" said the all too familiar prince

"You could have woken her up before you brought her down here sleeping!" said an old tired voice.

"Did you want to talk to her or not? Like I said I'd rather do it myself but if you insist on doing it then hurry up. I don't have all day!"

Katara's heart skipped a beat. _What were they up to? That Iroh and Zuko better not do a thing to me! Okay, well if Iroh is going to talk to me I'm not that worried, but that fire bender! That no good temperamental jerk is not going anywhere near me!_

Katara was shaken slightly by the tired old general. She opened her eyes and saw his smiling face.

"Good afternoon once again! Sorry to have you woken up like this. My nephew is a handful! He needs to be more sociable. I tell him this all the time but he never listens! He needs to loosen up and go out more." She raised her eyebrows and laughed quietly. Iroh walked around the small table to the other side and sat down. Katara looked around and then back at the old man.

"Why did you bring me here?" Katara asked already knowing the answer.

"I wanted to talk to you. He could've talked to you instead but I decided I'd like to question you personally. Besides, he is getting a little nervous when going near you, considering what happened."

"Oh, well what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I just wanted to see what you're thinking. We should have some conversations! Now that you're getting better at an increasing rate, I thought you might be bored being cooped up in that plain room. Maybe you could join me for lunch! We are having steamed fish with some jasmine tea! I love tea."

"I would love some too. And thank you very much for inviting me. It was very boring in there."

"You are most certainly welcome! What are some of your interests? I remember you saying how you're a water bender. I know you don't remember but we had a nice conversation a few days ago about ourselves. I know much about you, but I doubt you remember what I told you about myself. Ask away, I'm not shy!" Iroh beamed at her.

"Well, I know your name so… How are you related to Zuko? I mean, I know you're his uncle but are you related by marriage, are you brothers with his father or mother or what?"

Iroh stroked his chin and sat back into his chair. "I am Zuko's father's brother related by blood. Sadly, I'm not too proud of that. My brother and I are two very different people and we do not get along very well."

"What is the fire lord like?" Iroh paused and held his head with one hand. He shook his head simply and then looked Katara in the eye.

"My brother is not the likeable type. Although for some reason Zuko admires him greatly, even after what my brother did to him. He is not very understanding and wasn't there for his children at all."

"What did the fire lord do to Zuko that was so terrible?" Katara questioned trying not to sound to interested. Iroh sighed.

"Like I said before, he should be the one to tell you. I'm sure Prince Zuko would not like me telling his story to prisoners anyway. Not that I think of you as a prisoner! You are definitely my guest because your presence is most pleasing!" Iroh smiled (he really is filled with smiles! )) Katara smiled slightly but quickly became curious once more.

"How did Zuko get his scar?" Iroh looked her right in the eye. She knew what he was trying to say. _No! What father would do that?_

"No. It can't be! No father is that cruel, right?"

"It is true. It is his father who banished him. It was his father who gave him that scar, a sign of his so called 'weakness' which was to help his people and stop the needless slaughter."

"But if Zuko was trying to help his people why would he be punished?"

"That sweetheart is the question. That is what you must find out for yourself. I have already said too much." Katara looked down either from the shock or utter dismay.

"Anyway, where did your ship come from? I always wondered. You didn't have one at the northern air temple, and the last I saw was that you two were floating on a raft when we left."

"Well that's a promising story! Okay, it all started about two days after the defeat of the fire navy fleet. Royalty as I am, I could get whatever I wanted! I wasn't banished after all! So, I sent a messenger to go get me a new boat and a few men. Another 5 days later, this new boat showed up! Ah, I am lucky that it was my aunt who got the message instead of my brother or niece or it would've been a tragedy!"

"Wait a second… did you say niece? Who is she? Zuko has a sister?!"

"Yes indeed! Her name is Azula! Quite a handful she is! She is much more like her father than her mother, unlike Zuko. She is a very determined girl and always gets what she wants. She tormented Zuko all through their childhood days. It was really quite entertaining, although I did not spend much time with them. I was off fighting in my father's tiresome war. But don't worry! I'm sure it will all end soon, either from your friend the avatar or my brother and the comet! But, we should not be thinking about such gruesome thoughts this time of day! You must be bored, talking to me like this!"

"No! No! It really is quite interesting. Please go on."

"Sorry but I think it is getting quite late! It is about time for me to have my late night snack. Would you like to go outside before you must leave?"

"Okay, that would be lovely. Just out of curiosity, where am I leaving to?"

Iroh frowned, "I am very sorry dear but my nephew thinks you should go back to your original cell. You are much better from being healed and your strength is returning. It is just a temporary situation. I am trying to get you a room of your very own, although it is not as exquisite as you might think. It is a little like the soldier's rooms. It still is better than that cell you were staying in!" Iroh smiled and signaled for the cook to take the rest of their dishes away from the table.

"Thank you very much Iroh! I never thought a fire bender would be so kind." Katara looked at Iroh's questioning face and quickly thought of how unkind her words were. "…to a prisoner of course!" Katara blushed and looked away.

"I know, I know. It's quite all right. Fire benders do tend to have a bad reputation. Do not get me wrong! There are many people whose hunger for domination clouds their minds but some are quite different than what they seem. Get to know some and you'll see…" Iroh then stood up and brushed his mouth with a napkin.

The old man walked with Katara out of the room and led her to the deck. Katara looked around and was grateful to see her calm, soothing element. It was such a change from the bland white room she stayed in for almost two days. She looked back at the man once she reached the ledge and pleaded with her eyes.

"May I?"

"Go ahead!" And with that, Katara smiled and once again let her element soothe her as she worked her magic.

In the background, glowing eyes watched them closely, listening to every word they said...

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Oh my god! Sorry for not updating! I've been working on another story that I absolutely LOVE but I didn't post it yet. The other story is way more interesting and is funny. It's set in present time so I like it. Please review! Not that I deserve it since I didn't update… but review anyway!

M-ie


	9. Chapter 9 Meetings

Rated T Zutara… SokkaxOc… And MANY others…

Summary – Previously… Katara is captured on Zuko's ship. She gets in a fight with him but then heals herself. She gets to know Iroh a little more and learns some new things about Zuko. Sokka and Aang meet someone new… Someone they find very intimidating…

Just for eveyone's information… Only one day has passed for both groups.

Disclaimer – I don't own avatar… blah blah blah

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**Chapter 9; Meeting**

She silently stood close to Sokka's back and whispered "You think you're so tough huh? Bring it on!" She grabbed the cuff of his neck and pulled him back till he sat square on his butt. "You too Avatar. Don't you believe me? Don't you? Don't you?! You don't know what your doing do you."

"Who are you?" Sokka asked looking up at her as he used his hands to try to keep himself up.

"Your savior"

"What are you talking about? What is your name?! What do you want from us!?" Sokka stood up. Suddenly, his legs felt very weak and he collapsed back onto the floor.

"What did you do to Sokka?! Tell us what you want from us!" Aang swiftly ran to Sokka's aid and tried to help him up.

"I don't want anything. It's more of what you want… The girl, your sister and your friend, she was kidnapped. I am here to help."

"How did you know that? Were you following us?" She walked around the two boys and nodded.

"I know a lot of things."

"Why were you trying to scare us?"

"It's just my style"

"Well it's not a very good one if you ask me…" Sokka rolled his eyes, for it was the only thing he could move. His whole body felt numb as if his whole body was paralyzed.

"Well excuse me for trying to be of use. You wouldn't want Katara to have to leave without you would you? You don't want her to be all alone with that Prince of yours. I know things and if you don't listen to me, you will never find out what… well, you know." She smiled.

"Tell us what you want! I want my sister back. Tell me what you know!"

"Now, now calm down Sokka. Do you want to get the feeling back in your body or what? Look, I am not here to hurt you. I need help from you and I know you need help from me."

"What did you do to my body? Why can't I feel my legs?!" Sokka started to panic.

"Yeah! Tell us what you did. Fix him!" Aang put Sokka down and stood up quickly.

"It's just a little fighting technique. Don't worry, I can fix it easily. I'll fix it if you let me help you. You mustn't go back on your word"

"How can you join us if we know **nothing** about you!?" Sokka got overexcited like always.

"Yea! Stop following us! We can save our friend by ourselves! We've done it before, we can do it again!" Aang stared at her in the eyes and kept her glance.

"Trust me, you need help. I can provide it… you just have to meet my demands as well."

"No! For the thousandth time we do not need your help!" Sokka screamed

"Fine. Be that way. But when you need my help, which you will, then just meet me here. I'll be waiting, okay? Aang, Sokka…" She nodded each one off and jumped up into the trees.

"What the heck was that, Aang?"

"I don't know, but I have a feeling that I know her from somewhere or something…like we're supposed to be helping each other. I don't know, never mind then." Aang picked Sokka up and held him up on his back. They started walking towards the village.

As they reached the port, Aang carried Sokka into small shop. On the front, a store sign read in Chinese "Spirit Medicine, Healing in Sessions"

"Look Sokka! Maybe this store has a medicine to cure you!" He carried Sokka on his back and into the store. He sat Sokka down on a chair in the little blue room and walked over to a counter. Everywhere he looked, he found scrolls, bottles, tubes, fancy gadgets and a lot of shelves.

"Hello! Anyone here?" An older man and a woman walked out of a door and smiled.

"Hello young ones, How may my wife and I help you?"

"Hello, my friend Sokka and I have a problem. Sokka, well, he is kind of numb all over his body and can't move. We were hoping you had a cure or something."

"Well let me have a look." The man walked over as his wife laid Sokka down on some cushions on the floor.

"Why don't you sit over on that cushion while we help your friend? It's very relaxing and you look a bit tired." The young woman pointed at another cushion on the other side of the room and Aang nodded. He sat down on the pillow and tried to meditate. 'Maybe I can find an answer from the spirits.' He thought. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. His tattoos began to glow as he entered the spirit world.

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"Woah! That was weird!" He looked around and at his hands and everything was glowing blue.

"What part of the spirit world am I in now?" He walked around the open spaces and searched for someone to talk to. Then, all of a sudden, Avatar Roku appeared in the water.

"Roku! I have a question!"

"I know Aang, it's about your friend. Look, I want to show you something." Roku reached out from the water, grabbed Aang and dragged him in.

"What is this place?" Aang looked around the dark forest and then finally turned to Roku.

"It's the answer realm. I've been here many times looking for answer. But, I met someone here once that changed my life. His name was Honsha. He is a great spirit who lived here now and guards this realm. He is full of wisdom and can teach you much." Aang bowed.

"Thank you." Roku disappeared and Aang waited for the spirit.

"Honsha! Are you here?"

"Hello Avatar. You come seeking for advice, yet you already know the answer." A deep mysterious voice seemed to echo in the forest.

"Please, I need help. My friend is not well and I don't know how to fix him."

"Oh yes you do. All you really need is some '_guidance'_"

"I really don't know."

"Think, look at your surroundings. A forest correct? You met someone here. You need to meet her again." A faint image of the mysterious girl appeared. Aang ran up to it and when he touched it, it disappeared.

"Both your souls are now intertwined. Your fate has turned. You must follow your destiny. She can help you, and from the looks of it, she desperately needs your help too. Go to her. She must be with you."

"I understand." Aang looked down and his time was up. He returned to the normal world.

Aang jerked up and was helped up off his cushion by the wife who owned the store.

"Are you okay? You started to glow and we've been trying to get you up for the past ten minutes! Your friend said you were in the spirit world and that you are the avatar." She glanced at her husband, "We are honored to meet you!"

"Thank you. I was in the spirit world and I now how to fix my friend."

" Great Aang! Now can you please tell me so I can get my stupid body to work! They don't have a cure so if you didn't go into your 'majicy' world I'd be outta luck."

"Yea sure, and Thank you kind couple for your hospitality." He picked Sokka up and carried him out of the store.

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"Are you out of your mind?! That girl is trouble! It's my instincts!"

"Look Sokka, I think your instincts are wrong right now. The spirit I met named Honsha said that I need to help her and she needs to help us. It's our destiny Sokka! Roku said to trust him so I'm going with MY instincts on this!"

"I think your becoming weird for me again Aang. Look, you saw how she was!"

"I know! But do you want to stay like this forever?"

"I guess not." Sokka was really tired of being dragged everywhere. They walked to where they met the girl last and then stopped. Aang put Sokka down and then stood up straight.

"Hey! We're here! Come on out!" The girl swiftly jumped down from the trees and walked towards them.

"Back so soon?"

"We are ready to make a deal. You fix Sokka and help us, and in return, we'll help you."

"Very tempting, but I had bigger expectations." She looked at her nails and kept one hand at her hip. "How about I help you and get this dude back to normal and in exchange, you help me and I join your group to help you defeat the fire lord."

"Deal."

Sokka widened his eyes and whispered "Aang! Don't be so easy! Make it so we get the better deal!"

"Don't worry Sokka I've got this covered. Destiny, remember!" Aang leaned in, winked, and whispered to his friend.

"Fine… Go! Do your avatar stuff…"

"Just one catch. We ask you any question and you give us a truthful answer!"

"No problem." She smiled and crossed her arms.

"…ALL of them." Aang held his staff in his hand and angrily looked at her.

"Fine with me!"

"What is your name?"

She sighed, "It's Xayla" (Xzay-la)

"Why do you need to help us so badly?"

"I have some issues and need to clear them up. Besides, I need help from you just as much as you need help from me."

"What's with all the secrecy? Why didn't you just tell us that?" Sokka asked

"I have my reasons."

"You said you'd answer ALL of our questions!"

"I did Avatar that was my answer!"

"First off, my name is Aang and you better answer it correctly!"

"Fine, I know your name! Anyway, I will, I was just testing you. Seeing how you'd react… Seeing how much work you needed."

"Work?" Aang questioned

"Yes. I am a very good fighter. No, I am a great fighter, not to be so conceited, but I can teach you, since I'm already a master."

"What are you a master of? Water bending? …Because I already mastered that."

"No, I'm a master of earth…"

"Oh, that's great!"

"… and I fire bend…" The two boys widened their eyes, scratched their heads and looked at each other in disbelief and confusion.

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Katara woke up to a large explosion. _What in the name of…?_ The boat suddenly jerked and she flew across her cell. She thrashed into her cell door causing a small gash in her arm. She screamed in pain as she wondered what was happening. What was happening?

Screaming and yelling was heard above deck. There seemed to be a fight going on. She dragged herself to her small water basin in the corner. She struggled to bend the water seeing as how her arm was throbbing and not cooperating. She finally was able to place her glowing hands on her gash when she heard something unexpected. Her cell door opened and out stepped three people she had never seen before. One had chestnut colored hair and was dressed in all pink and had such a wicked smile, hands crossed. Another had jet black hair with a long flowing dress, her hands covered by her long sleeves and a gloomy look in her eyes. The last girl seemed to be the leader. Hate and wickedness did not do her justice and her golden eyes seemed vaguely familiar.

"Grab her." The leader calmly stated her orders before Katara knew it, she was quickly jabbed by the pink girl and drifted into unconsciousness.

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Wow… That was a long chapter. I really want to get this story over with so I can work on my other one… REVIEW PLEASE!

M-ie :)

P.S. Please REVIEW!


	10. Chapter 10 Unexpected

**Summary – **Sokka runs in with Xayla, a new bender who found him and Aang. Katara is taken captive by someone new. Zuko's ship was under seige and now she must face the wrath of someone even worse…

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Chapter 10; The Unexpected

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked in disbelief

Xayla sighed as she sat down next to the disabled boy and pinched him, once on the shoulder and once in the center of his back. Sokka found he was able to move again. He watched as he waved his hands in front of his face to make sure it was real.

"I can earth bend and fire bend."

"How is that possible?" Aang questioned.

"My father was a fire bender and my mother was an earth bender."

"The thing that puzzles me most is how you came to be in the water nation." He looked from Sokka then back to Xayla.

"I am just traveling. I do that from time to time. I leave just before anyone notices me. When I think that someone is becoming suspicious, I leave."

"Why do you have to run away? Why don't you stay in one place?"

"I am wanted by the fire nation. No one could ever allow one with a mix of nationality to live. And it's also because I had caused them trouble a little while back."

"What did you do that was so horrible?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that one… not yet at least. I'll tell you when the time is right."

"Fair enough. Sokka," he turned around and faced his friend "We should go back to our place and tell her about the plans… Xayla, come with us. I still have a couple of questions for you."

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Her sight was blurry. "What? Where am I?" She tried to sit up as her vision gradually started to come back. Her body felt weak and pain shot up her arm as she tried to move. Something was pulling on her arm. She looked down and saw chains encasing her arms and her legs. The chain links were long enough so that she could walk around her cell, not that there was much room to walk.

She carefully looked over her living space. The room was extremely small, 5 feet wide and about 7 feet long. There was a small water basin, enough to last about four days give or take. A small cot lay in the far corner of the chamber. _How generous my captors are! _ She rolled her eyes and got up from her spot.

Needles pricked at her foot. _It must have fallen asleep. _She stomped at it a couple of times with no success. She stood up and moved to her cot. Small bruises covered her body. Her back was throbbing. She gasped as she lifted up her robe to check her back. Her entire backside was bruised and battered.

_My stupid captors threw me pretty hard onto the ground._ She lay down on her cot and stared at the ceiling. _What have I gotten myself into this time? So much for my 4 day plan to escape… Man! Now I have to think of a whole new one! I am having a really bad week._ She sighed and decided to take a nap to keep herself from complete boredom.

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"What are your issues?" Sokka asked, stretching out his arms. A couple of hours of numbness can only do so much to your nervous system.

"What are you talking about?" The new accomplice asked.

"You know. In the forest, you said that you had to help us because you needed to clear up some issues. What the heck are the issues?" Xayla sighed and looked to the moon. It was a beautiful full moon, and it reminded her of her mother, both graceful and enchanting.

"C'mon! Answer me!" Sokka was getting aggravated.

"C'mon Sokka, that's not important, not now at least. So…. Xayla, I guess we need you to help with our plan. It would be nice to have another fighter around."

"Hey!" Sokka pouted.

"What? I'm not saying that you're bad or anything! I'm just saying it would be useful to have another person to carry out the plan. Then it won't put so much pressure on us."

"Yeah… whatever…" His head lowered as he sulked in his little wooden chair.

"Thanks Avatar. That means a lot to me."

"It's Aang and you're welcome." He blushed innocently and looked at Sokka, who was currently rolling his eyes.

"I know your name. It's just kind of hard to call you by your name when I've been calling you the Avatar all this time."

"What do you mean all this time? How long did you know about me?"

"When I was about seven..."

"How did you know me when you were seven? I've been trapped inside a giant block of ice for the last one hundred years! Not even I knew anything seven years ago!"

"I have my ways." She smiled slyly. Sokka just had to interrupt now!

"For the sake of Avatar, what is wrong with you? You are so annoying!" Xayla crossed her arms expectantly, "Can't you just answer a simple question normally like a _regular person_?! Drop the act! We are going to be seeing a lot of each other if we're going to save my sister anyway. We will find out eventually!! Just answer the freaking question normally woman!" Sokka panted from his sudden outburst. Aang's face was completely in shock. Xayla seemed to expect this reaction. She chuckled slightly and walked up to Sokka. This was truly a hilarious sight to see.

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She awoke to a loud thud. In the cell across from hers was a dark figure on the floor. The leader of the three captors had kicked him once.

"You really think father would want you back? He just wants you back to keep you from making a fool of him and yourself. Do us all a favor and keep your dishonorable mind locked away." The leader kicked him once again and left. Katara waited till she heard the door to the cells close and the only light source disappear before she walked to the edge of her chamber. She looked at the newly inhabited cell.

It was pitch black, the only source of light being a tiny window at the back of the other cell's wall. It was suddenly extremely hard to see the outline of her cell neighbor. By the looks of it, he was a man, maybe in his late teens or early twenties.

_Maybe it was one of the crew members. What did the leader say about his father not wanting him? _Sadness overtook her. _Who would do that? How terrible. Having to work for an ignorant and arrogant Zuko and have his father and sister hate his guts._

She felt a sharp pain in her stomach and bit her lip from screaming in agony. She made her way to her cot and her breath became short and heavy. She slowly tried to take long deep breaths with no prevail. She tried to bend whatever water that was in the small water basin into her mouth. _Oh great, Roku knows how long that has been there._ Pure disgust washed over her face as she bent the musty colored water into her mouth and down into her stomach. She sighed as she felt sudden relief and tried to bend the water back up and out. She bent her hand the wrong way and ended up coughing up the foul tasting liquid.

She heard rustling in the nearby cell. _I must have woken him up. Let's see who this guy is…_ She decided to stay on her cot. She definitely did not want another choking episode.

She sat up and set her back up against the wall. She rested her head on her knees that were now resting onto the cot. She spied the other prisoner also get up and sit onto his cot. He sat in the far corner and put his face in his hands.

Katara felt a pang in her heart and couldn't help but pity this unfortunate soul. The prisoner sighed, and laid on his back, arms across his chest and his knees bent in order to fit the small cot.

"Who are you?" She whispered into the darkness. There was no answer. The figure just sank even further into his cot.

She sighed and repositioned herself. "Were you on Zuko's ship too?" He nodded.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but you don't know how much I want to go back there." The prisoner's ears perked up. She heard him sit back up.

"I know that is kind of weird especially since he's the guy who's been trying to hunt down my best friend and kill us for the past couple of months but still. It was way better than here. At least he had the decency to give me actual water and a bigger thing to sleep on. I mostly miss the food. I haven't eaten since this morning. You don't know how starved I am." She was so relieved to have someone else to talk to. It felt good having someone to be there with you.

The figure stayed perfectly still. "If I was with my brother and my friend, I'd be eating all the seal jerky I could and be sitting around the fire with them. I miss them so much…" She suddenly felt very alone. If that wasn't bad enough, more guards dragged her out of her cell, strong ones. She was dragged on the floor until she reached the another room. Nothing could stop this terror…

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I'll update eventually….


	11. Chapter 11 Threats

**Summary – **Sokka runs in with Xayla, a new bender who found him and Aang. Katara is taken captive by someone new. She finds a cell mate across from hers and is currently being dragged into a new room.

Chapter 11; Threats

"For the sake of Avatar, what is wrong with you? You are so annoying!" Xayla crossed her arms expectantly, "Can't you just answer a simple question normally like a _regular person_?! Drop the act! We are going to be seeing a lot of each other if we're going to save my sister anyway. We will find out eventually!! Just answer the freaking question normally woman!" Sokka panted from his sudden outburst. Aang's face was completely in shock. Xayla seemed to expect this reaction. She chuckled slightly and walked up to Sokka. This was truly a hilarious sight to see.

She walked over to the obviously bamboozled boy and looked him straight in the eye. She gave him a crooked smile and then laughed so hard she started crying.

"WHAT?! Why are you laughing at me?!" He was definitely confused. Little did he know that a group of chipmunkskunks had gathered all around him looking very… vicious. A few crawled up onto his head and made a very suggestive face, placing their butts high in the air and aiming them toward his face. Sokka finally looked around and noticed them long enough to completely lose it and gulp the biggest gulp of his life. He was hyperventilating and managed to mouth the words… help.

Xayla and Aang ducked behind a tree while a huge explosion of smells encased Sokka causing him to cough violently and scream at the top of his lungs.

"AHH!!! SMELLY! STUPID CHIPMUNKSKUNKS!!! GET OFF OF ME!!! AH! OOH! EH!! AHH!!! NOO!!! THE SMELL!!!" cough, cough "AHH!!!!" Definitely a hilarious sight to see.

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The figure stayed perfectly still. "If I was with my brother and my friend, I'd be eating all the seal jerky I could and be sitting around the fire with them. I miss them so much…" She suddenly felt very alone. If that wasn't bad enough, more guards dragged her out of her cell, strong ones. She was dragged on the floor until she reached the another room. Nothing could stop this terror…

"Hello _Katara_" She spat out her name like it was a disease. Katara looked straight into her eyes. She was not afraid. She would not allow herself to be. She just can't. She has to stay strong.

"Tell me. How is it you got on my brother's ship? Did he kidnap you like the worthless little spine that you are? Or did he just somehow get lucky and find you on his ship, the worthless thing he is?"

"Your brother is Zuko?"

"Hardly. Not a brother at all really. More like a thorn in my side. So tell me. Do you have hope? Do you have dreams?"

"Yes. More than your mind can comprehend or will EVER hope to know." The girl smirked.

"So you still have hope then huh? That's cute. Real cute." She made a hand signal and a nearby guard kicked her in the shin. Katara fell to the ground. "If you think that you are free to behave and think how you want. You are sadly mistaken. You have no free will here." The teen came dangerously close to Katara's ear and whispered.

"I own you…" She got back up and faced the guards. "Dismissed. And by the way Katara, you might as well give up hope now. There's nowhere to run. And no one is coming to get you. I've made sure of that. Don't you worry."

"What did you do to them?!" Katara screamed as the guards dragged her out of the room. "Where are they?! What did you do?!" She kept up her screaming until she was thrown back into her cell. She tried to sit up. The dirt from the bottom of the cell floor covered her in grim and filth. She clenched her hands. No one would use her. No one can bring her down. If anything, the women's little 'remark' about her family made her even more determined to hope, more determined to become stronger. She WILL prevail.

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"This is disgusting!" Sokka screamed and made disgusted sounds as he tried to scrub every bit of flesh he could.

"Well it's your own damn fault for calling all those chipmunkskunks. Sheesh. Calling your family relatives. Real smart. Thanks for putting us all in danger of the rancid smell." Xayla sarcastically commented.

After Sokka's little… incident, they waited about a half hour until all the animals left and the smell settled. Then Sokka was still in shock so Xayla and Aang, while covering their mouths and pinching their noses away from the pukish smell, dragged Sokka back to the village, making all the villagers to run away in panic from the smell. They got Sokka to a smell specialist and got him a treatment. He is now sitting in a tub of a special medicinal juice forced to scrub himself with a pine cone sponge. Oh joy.

Now, Xayla and Aang just sit there, laughing and eying Sokka. They find it very funny that he got chipmuckskunked. Hilarious stuff…

XoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

It was a while before she decided to talk to him again. Yes, him, the one across the cell hall. It was really more like a dungeon. It was worse kept then Zuko's brig, filled with scum, dirt, filth, and blood stains that made Katara fear who was there last. The crusted bars of her cell only made it worse.

"Don't let them get to you." She broke the silence. Her voice echoing in the dark metal halls. He moved, shifted his weight signaling a questioning glance.

"They took me… into a room… just kept talking…trying to mess with my mind…to make me lose hope… but I won't. We have to make it out of here. I know I don't know you, but in order to survive, I think we need to rely on each other." She hung her head down. After a while she attempted to sit down on the cot and lie down, trying to stay away from the crud on the sides.

XoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

Yes yes short chapter.. sorry about that.. I'll try to update a little sooner next time… review please!


	12. Chapter 12 The worst time of your life

Summary – Sokka just got chipmunkskunked and Katara had a discussion with Azula but she doesn't know it's Azula yet.

Disclaimer - i dont own avatar

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Chapter 12; The worst time of your life

She awoke to a loud crash. She opened her eyes but didn't move. The cell bars that held her only prison companion swung open and she could see the three evil girls standing menacingly watching him.

"Get up!" Her voice was like a knife tearing into the darkness. Katara felt her heart skip a beat. "Get up you filth!" One of the girls, the leader of the girls and the ship Katara guessed, kicked him hard in the gut and grabbed his hair forcing him to rise.

"Brother, this long while that I haven't seen you has only heightened my hatred and shame of having you as my brother. Not only have you succeeded in destroying our family's reputation but you have also succeeded in destroying your own. You had not come willingly from my command and I am sure to make you learn your respect. May I remind you I am a master now. You never have and never will defeat me. So, don't even try. You're going to lose anyway." _How could someone have that much hate for their brother? To treat someone that way, to destroy them from the inside and the out was just shameful and just that much more ridiculing._

"Shut up Azula!" Katara's eyes flashed. She knew that voice. How could she not have known? How could he have a sister that cruel? And if she is his sister, she must be Azula, the esteemed prodigy and natural born leader of the fire-nation. Katara's only heard a few rumors and any news of the fire-nation never interested her but she did know who Azula was, and that was not necessarily a good thing.

"Don't talk back to me Zuzu!"

"Don't call me that!" She kicked him in the gut again. Katara flinched.

"Stop it Azula!" Zuko stood up and made a fighting stance.

"Don't even think about it Zuzu. You know that little injection you had? It took away your bending." Azula faced me. "That goes for all of you whelps with bending as well." She shouted into the brig. Katara's mouth widened and Zuko slid to the ground.

"You really think father wanted you back? You're lucky he didn't send someone to kill you earlier. You're going back home, yes, but the reason is far from what you think. You are to be assassinated once you get into the fire nation anyway."

"WHAT?!" Zuko shouted and Katara stood up.

"You're being assassinated for treason as well as Uncle Iroh and if Iroh hadn't escaped us then he'd be in the same fate as you. There are witnesses that say you helped the Avatar and went against the fire nation."

"But that's not fair! I had too! It's for my mission!" Azula smacked him.

"You no longer have a mission." She spat on him.

"You can't do that!" Azula as well as the other two girls whipped around to look at Katara.

"Well, well. Look what we have here Ty Lee, Mae. Trying to help out Zuzu now are we?"

"Yeah, who do you think you are?" The girl in the pink look pretty much out of place in the dark dungeon but glared and tried to make herself look fierce.

"It's just… you can't… it's not that! I'm just saying he wasn't committing treason. I… I saw him. He never did anything!" Katara looked down. She didn't know why she spoke out. She just couldn't see Zuko get hurt. He was always a part of her life. Sure, she didn't like him but she had always thought he'd be there. She didn't want any change in her life. She wanted to go back, not just back to Sokka and Aang. She wanted to go back to when she was a child, no worries in her life. She needed some control over her life and was sick of the fire nation taking everything away from her.

"How dare you speak out against me! You are not in this mess. I'll teach you some respect! Guard!" She called over a guard. "Take her out of my site. Do what you want with her but make sure to bring her back in two hours. Feel free to teach her a lesson. She deserves it." Katara's eyes widened as the guard grabbed both her arms and tried pulling her away.

"You can't do this! Let go of me! I didn't do anything! I… Let! Me! GO!" She struggled to break free of the large grimy guard. Azula walked up to her and grabbed her shirt.

"Let me tell you something. Here, on MY ship, you will do what I say whether you like it or not. You don't have the right to do what you want here. I hold the reigns now. The only thing your worth is keeping my men entertained so I don't have to get more. There's nothing else you can do. There's nowhere else you can go."

"Azula no! You can't do that! She did nothing." Zuko firmly noted.

"Don't interrupt! She would've had this happen eventually anyway. You'll get your punishment as well Zuzu don't you worry." Zuko sat down and Katara was dragged away, struggling all the time.

* * *

"Now that little _incident_ is out of the way, maybe we can actually try pursuing our plan to get back Katara and get my revenge." Xayla said nonchalantly while leaning up against the wall of her hideout. 

"Nice place you got here!" Aang was walking around her little humble home. "It looks like Jet's tree house!" Xayla's hideout was a small tree house perched high in the branches of the forest. It was made out of wood and had little to no belongings inside. There was a small little box with a latch that held her personal belongings and clothes and a small bag or pouch rather that held her smaller items.

"Thanks. I just scraped it up quickly. I didn't really have time to make it elaborate. I've only been here a week. I'm following Zuko you know."

"You built this in under a week?!" Aang whipped around with that surprised little grin and looked at her with amazement.

"Well, actually I built it the first hour I got here. My mom was a great earth bender but also knew the forest. She taught me how to build all this as well."

"Really? That's so cool!" Aang exclaimed. Sokka's entire face lit up but he quickly regained his untrusting glare.

"I still don't get why you have to follow Zuko. What did he do to you? I know he's a lying disgusting ruthless annoying hot-headed pony-tail freak but still. You seem perfectly capable of handling yourself if you ask me." Xayla raised her eyebrows.

"Well you are! I mean… I was gonna say… oh never mind." Sokka sat down in the corner.

"Actually, he wasn't the one who did me wrong. I just need to use him as ransom. I've been trying to find out a way to get back at the fire nation ever since they took them. I finally found some hope… in him."

"Woah there! Wait a second! Who did they take? Ransom? Why'd they take them? And you found hope in that pathetic mess?" Sokka was getting himself riled up again.

"The fire nation is ruthless okay? I thought of all people you would know that considering they took your mother's life. You don't know how lucky you have-"

"What?! Don't you dare say that ever again you hear me! You have no right to say that! I know how they can be! Don't you say that I have it lucky!" He stood up and was yelling in her face. Out of character and out of mind, he towered over the glaring nonchalant teenager and Aang watched in the corner attentively. "My mom died when I was eight! I watched her burst into flames! Don't you tell me I don't know! I watched as my mom died from the outside in and my seven year old little sister watched as she died from the inside out! If anyone you don't understand! Don't tell me th-"

"Both my parents and my little brother were sentenced to death by the fire lord himself when I was five!" Xayla stood up and faced Sokka, eyes bloodshot and filled to the brim with tears. Sokka stopped talking and stood still. "My father was a fire bender and the admiral. My mother was an earth bender, a lowlife peasant. My father was sent to kill an entire village but couldn't kill her. He stashed her away and fell in love with her. She got pregnant and had me. I remember spending my entire five years of existence hiding… never being able to see the light. My father had his own ship and a small secret area in his cabin where my family stayed. He tried so hard. My brother came a month after I turned five. He was so handsome. Then, someone found us. We were sent to death for treason and because I was both a fire and an earth bender. On the summer solstice we were sent to death. I was kept in a separate cell. I broke out by bending the earth in the metal. I went to break out my parents and my brother but they were already taken into the burn room. I got to the door and just as I looked in, fire exploded and I watched my mother, my father, and my little baby brother burn to death, screaming for the gods to save them. I set out there that I would get my revenge on the fire lord. I set out to find Zuko and use him as leverage to knock the fire lord and the fire nation down. So I've been following you and Aang and Katara and Zuko to find hope… any hope. I need hope. It's all I have left." She broke down. She fell into Sokka's arms and sobbed quietly. Sokka put his arms around her and they sat down while holding each other. Aang still watched from the corner, eyes in tears of sympathy.

* * *

"Don't! Stop! PLEASE! GET OFF OF ME!" The guard tied Katara's hands to the bed post. She struggled and screamed and begged for him to leave her alone. He took off his helmet. He had a scraggly beard and the expression of an eighty year old man. He took off his armor and was left with his pants. His chest was hairy and he had a noticeable scar on his ribs. He had a potbelly and it jiggled as he made his way to the bed. He grabbed a grimy piece of cloth and tied it tight over her eyes. 

"Brace yourself peasant. This is going to hurt." He jumped onto the bed and gave her the worst time of her life…twice.

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SO sorry for the wait! I had major writer's block and didn't know what to follow up on. I didn't want to make it so graphic so I took the… er… raping graphic stuff out for the younger viewers. Review please!!! 


	13. Chapter 13 Stick Together

Disclaimer; I don't own Avatar. Sadly..

I dedicate this chapter to ML7 who has always kept me going ) thanks so much.

I also dedicate it to my friend Betrayed629. You're one of the greatest friend's ever. )

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Chapter 13; Stick Together

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Not proud of my past… and definitely not of my present…

But still.

I hold on… knowing… just knowing… my future is looking up.

Even if it is hopeless

Even if it is hard.

Even if it hurts.

At least I know I've tried…

-emily (my friend )

* * *

"We'll help you." Sokka' face turned to stone after her heart-wrenching story came to an end. He couldn't bare another innocent life ruined in the hands of the fire nation. What right did they have? Who put them in charge? All he could do was keep rocking the poor girl in his arm and tell her it would be okay… but would it be okay? How was he to know? How was anyone to know? All they could do… all anyone could do… was try their hardest and hope for the best… and even if they fail in the process… at least they'll know they've tried.

* * *

Large hands thrust her now frail body sprawling on the floor of the chamber, the cell, an imprisonment fit for filth. She felt disgusted. She never had the strongest urge to bathe and scrub her entire body more. She felt so dirty and exposed in all the wrong places. She had never felt so useless and defeated. She was no longer innocent and was distraught by the mere fact that that man, no, that _monster_, took away the one thing she had control over. He took away something she could never get back. Her first time, the moment she would remember forever, was taken against her will, with a man she doesn't even know. She had never felt so used.

She tried to push herself up off the cold unforgiving floor and onto the cot. She felt sore and tired. The sobs came willingly and she sat in the corner of her cot, head in her hands, body in a fetal position, and she rocked back and forth trying to rid her mind of all the horrible memories.

After what seemed like forever, she lifted her head up, wiped away the still streaming tears away from her face and looked at the Prince's cell across from her. She could make out the body in the dim light but it was out cold, unmoving and dead.

"No…" She whispered. "No." She moved to the prison bars and attempted to reach out to him with no avail.

"Zuko? Zuko! Zuko, answer me! Get up! I… I need you!" She had no idea what made her say it. She just didn't want to be alone. She needed him as much as he needed her. They needed to stick together while in the clutches of his crazed sibling. It was the only way they were going to survive, and now he was dead.

"Zuko!"

"I'm… right… here…" His voice rang in the air and she whirled around surprised to find him sitting in the dark corner of her own cell. She stumbled over to him and as she grew closer, his wounds became more evident.

"Zuko!" She reached up to his face and ran her hand over his newly-formed wounds. "What happened…" She ran over a raw cut on his cheek and he flinched.

"Sorry… How could this have happened… She's your sister… How could anyone do th-…"

"She's no sister of mine." His voice was hoarse and his body frail but his eyes glowed with ferociousness.

"How could she…" She slowly wrapped her arms around him to hug him before he winced in pain and she jolted to a stop.

"Katara… why do you even care…" For a second she wondered why herself. But it was all clear now. The truth opened up to her and she realized how horrible it really was.

"Because… we're both in this situation together. We have to stick together. Even with our differences… it doesn't matter anymore. The only way we can survive is if we rely on each other. There's no other choice." He looked up at her worn out face and nodded in realization. He knew it too.

* * *

"So everyone's got the plan?" Sokka looked at Xayla and Aang for their confirmation. They both nodded. "Good. This is going to be the most difficult plan we've ever endured so far. It has to work perfectly. If you don't hold up your end of the bargain… all will be lost. Make sure you ha-"

"Sokka! We've got it. It's going to be okay. We're going to get through this. We're going to get Katara back AND avenge Xayla's family."

"Yeah Sokka… we've got this. We're ready." Xayla's eyes gleamed in the candlelight. You could tell she was ready for anything.

* * *

"After you left, she… she took me into a room and hit me… my blood was all over the walls and I couldn't stop it. She tied me back and hit me over and over and over… Then… when she finished, she gave me another scar… one more to 'mark me of my weakness' she said… I hate her…" Katara started to tear up as he told her his pain... his entire life story, about his father, his mother, how everything he touched turned to menace and grief… He also knew the pain she had to endure. Her mother… how she was killed right in front of her eyes…

She was trying to salvage his body, healing all the wounds she could with the grimy scum in her water basin. As she moved along his body, she found the mark. It was on his inner right thigh… She was most likely aiming for his… genitals… but missed and got his leg instead.

"After he dragged me out of the brig, he… he dragged me through so many hallways… I can't remember how many turns we took… and all that kept running through my mind was 'what did I do to deserve this?' Then he took me into a room… He tied me down… and…" She started to sob.

"… and then he raped me…" Katara kept her head low as she silently cried, not only for herself, but for both of them… all the pain they've been through… everything they had to endure… everything that was taken away from them… it wasn't fair. None of it ever was. They just held each other in their arms, trying to wash the pain away.

* * *

"What if it doesn't go as planned? What if something happens? What if I do-" Xayla hushed the worried avatar and signaled him to row faster. They had gotten a boat and were silently rowing in the night into the distance. After awhile of complete silence, Sokka pointed out at the ship they knew all too well, but, there was something else unexpected. What was another ship doing beside it? It was a bit larger than Zuko's and it was swarmed with people, while Zuko's seemed to be completely abandoned, except a small flicker of light in the captain's room.

Aang looked confused but Sokka just shrugged.

"Maybe they're restocking or getting news or something. Just stick to the plan." Sokka whispered. The boat moved over to side of the vacant ship and they all climbed aboard, immediately retreating the far side below some boxes of cargo.

"There's no turning back now…" Sokka and Aang nodded in agreement.

"Time to split up. You know what to do… Now move!" Sokka's voice still rang in their ears as they all split up in different directions. It was time.

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OMG IM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT!!!!!! 2 months… all my fault.. I had finals and then was grounded from the computer. This chapter is short and a little choppy. I don't like it very much and the title doesn't go at all but it flows into the next chapter. The next chapter wil have more action and itll be a whole lot better I promise. Sorry once again and I hope you guys don't hate me. I'll try to post soon as long as I don't get in trouble again… hehe… yeahhh.. well ill post soon.review please!!! 


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